Mario Farrugia, executive chairman, Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna, Vittoriosa
The guns at the Saluting Battery, Valletta
I refer to the letter by Denis A. Darmanin (August 28), who refers to the guns at the Saluting Battery as 24lb smoothbore naval guns mounted on garrison skeleton carriage.
For the record, these guns are not naval but general purpose cannons of the Blomfield type which were used on both land and sea.
Their name derives from that of Major General Sir Thomas Blomfield-Bart (1755-1822), Inspector of Artillery of the Royal Brass Foundry at Woolwich. He undertook a general reform of existing English ordnance which resulted in more balanced barrels of lighter design. He also added a breeching loop to the cascable button to pass through the breeching tackle that restrained recoil.
These guns have a calibre of 24-pounds (14cm), weigh a rough 2.6 tonnes and have a length of 2.91m. They carry the Royal cipher of King George III. When used in active service these guns could be fitted with fore and rear sights on their second reinforce and cascable respectively.
All eight guns are original pieces made by Carron Iron Works of Falkirk in Scotland (5) or Samuel Walker & Co., iron founders of Grenoside near Sheffield (3). They were made between 1790 and 1810.
All these guns were salvaged by Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna from different parts of the island for restoration and display at the Saluting Battery.
One of these guns is operated as a time-gun daily when it is fired right at midday in the same way as was done up to 1923 when the practice was discontinued.
The Saluting Battery was restored to its present state in 2004 with the help of the Malta Tourism Authority and the Bank of Valletta.
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Denis A. Darmanin
Sep 2nd 2010, 20:43
Mario & Co.
Keep up the good work.
Denis
Edwin Mifsud
Sep 2nd 2010, 14:37
While Mr. Farrugia's work is appriciated I would like to bring to his attention (again) that the music played at the Upper Barakka garden is so loud that LICENSED tourist guides have a very hard time explaining the view to their clients.
This is espessialy true when MSC or Cost Pacifica make their calls.
On the other hand UNLICENSED guides who have access to the loud speakers, lower the volume to a comfortable level while they (and only they) explain, as best as they, can the view to some passers buy (against payment) only to increase it again when they deem fit.
Joe Cassar
Sep 2nd 2010, 10:28
That should read "Sir Thomas Blomfield, Bart." The "Bart." is short for Baronet, not a second surname.
Mario Farrugia
Sep 2nd 2010, 12:58
Mr Cassar, thank you for highlighting the mistake made. Sir Thomas Blomfield was made a Baronet in 1807 partly for his extraordinary service in improving the overall design and quality of British ordnance. Following is his carreer in brief:
Born Kent 1744; served in North America 1776 to 1777, taken POW at Saratoga; Inspector of artillery 1780; Major in RA 25 September 1793; Lieutenant-Colonel 5 December 1793; Inspector of Royal brass foundry 1797; Colonel 12 November 1800; Major-General 25 September 1803; Colonel Commandant 1 June 1806; CRA at Copenhagen 1807; Baronet 3 November 1807; Lieutenant-General 25 July 1810; subsequently General 19 July 1821; died 1822.
lgera
Sep 2nd 2010, 17:59
Aren't there more important things in life than remembering about the honorifics given to a human being some three centuries ago?